Debbie Laskey's Blog

Welcome to Debbie Laskey's insights and commentary about BRANDING, MARKETING, LEADERSHIP, SOCIAL MEDIA, EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, and CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES. Debbie has worked in high-tech, the Consumer Marketing Department at Disneyland Paris in France, nonprofits, and insurance. Expertise includes strategic planning, brand development, marketing plans and audits, competitive positioning, websites, communications, public relations, employee engagement, customer experiences, and social media marketing.

Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Competition versus Collaboration

Want to add a good book to your non-fiction to-be-read pile? I recently read "UNCOMPETE: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Success" by Ruchika T. Malhotra and highly recommend it.

Ruchika Malhotra, an award-winning inclusion strategist and speaker, is CEO and Founder of Candour, which works with organizations to create diverse teams and inclusive cultures. A former business journalist, she has reported from four countries and writes regularly on inclusive leadership for the Harvard Business Review. She was named to the Thinkers50 list, a global ranking described by the Financial Times as the "Oscars of Management Thinking." And she wrote two books prior to UNCOMPETE: "Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work" and "The Diversity Advantage." Back in 2025, Ruchika graciously appeared here on my blog in a Q&A.

Here were some stand-out concepts from the book:

Ruchika explained that when we UNCOMPETE, we intentionally:

(1) CHOOSE what's best for the group and environment NOT INSTEAD OF the individual;

(2) ACT in the spirit of collaboration, curiosity, and consideration; and

(3) RESIST cultural norms that are rooted in the domination and exploitation of others, especially marginalized communities.

Ruchika further explained that "When you uncompete, you live up to the promise of a world where everyone wins. And not just you, but your community, your society, and the world...To uncompete offers an alternative where we are empowered, grounded, and forward-looking. We move from believing we have no agency to knowing we can make choices to change our lives and the lives around us. To uncompete is to invest in building a beautiful, thriving future for all."

A memorable example from the book was the reference to the medal podium at the 2024 Paris Olympics from the individual gymnastics competition. You may recall the inspiring photo of the three winners: Gold Medalist Rebecca Andrade from Brazil, Silver Medalist American Simone Biles, and Bronze Medalist American Jordan Chiles. The two Americans bowed to Andrade. This was the perfect example of the theory behind UNCOMPETE because the two Americans were "finding joy in others' joy" - they were applauding Andrade's accomplishment with tremendous respect.

Sunday, September 6, 2026

Let's Celebrate National Read a Book Day!

National Read a Book Day is observed annually on September 6th and serves as an incentive to grab a book (or open a book on an e-reader) and read. I often share book recommendations and reviews here on my blog, however, today is especially important for bibliophiles.

According to NationalTodayCalendar, "Whether you prefer to escape into the world of fiction or learn something new, celebrate with books. Visit the library or the local bookstore. Pick up a new book or read an old favorite. Explore the past in history books and memoirs or dive into poetry. Read aloud to a child or give them a book to read on their own. Share the stories you're reading using #NationalReadABookDay to post on social media."

Last year on National Read a Book Day, I shared a review of "The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau" by one of my favorite authors, Kristin Harmel. Since I've read many of her books, it should not be a surprise that I recently read her newest book, MEET ME IN PARIS, so I'll share that book today.

Unlike most of Harmel's books, MEET ME IN PARIS is a contemporary novel rather than historical fiction. The story revolves around a group of Americans whose lives connect during some spring days in Paris. Music, art, health, and family are all aspects of the story (including my favorite museum, the Musée d'Orsay), however, the most important character of the story was the city of Paris!

Here were some memorable quotes from the book:

"That's the thing about chapters...they're only a part of your story."

"That's what life was, a constant opportunity for reinvention, for change, for transformation."

"When we're children, we think the moments will be endless. But in the end, they slip through our fingers before we know how much they mean."

Sunday, August 9, 2026

Five Books to Celebrate National Book Lovers Day!

If you know today is a very special day, then you're a bibliophile like me because today is NATIONAL BOOK LOVERS DAY!

Last year on this date, I shared 22 passages from books I read during 2025, and three years ago on this date, I shared my five favorite books of all time. Today, I'm going to share the five best books I read last year to celebrate National Book Lovers Day.

According to NationalToday.com, "Books are the purest form of escapism. They can take you to any time, place, or culture. In honor of National Book Lovers Day, August 9, we put away our smartphones, pull out a good book, and simply read. (Of course, an audiobook will suffice.) From clay tablets to eBooks, literature has played a crucial role in preserving cultures, educating the masses, and storytelling. Thanks to Johannes Gutenberg's 15th-century printing press, anyone, not just royalty, monks, or landed gentry, could read and own books. But, alas, there was no overnight shipping. Today, join a book club or re-read a favorite novel because National Book Lovers Day rocks!"

Drum roll please...here are the five best books I read last year.

THE LIBRARY OF LOST DOLLHOUSES by Elise Hooper. It's easy to see why I chose this book: I have a passion for reading, libraries, San Francisco, architecture, the Art Institute of Chicago's Thorne Rooms, dollhouses, miniatures, history, and to quote the author, "the importance of illuminating overlooked women."

According to the book's flap, "Tildy Barrows, Head Curator of a beautiful archival library in San Francisco, takes an unexpected turn when she, first, learns the library is on the verge of bankruptcy and, second, discovers two exquisite never-before-seen dollhouses. After finding clues hidden within these remarkable miniatures, Tildy sets out to decipher the secret history of the dollhouses, aiming to salvage her cherished library in the process. Her journey introduces her to a world of ambitious and gifted women in Belle Epoque Paris, a group of scarred World War I veterans in the English countryside, and Walt Disney's bustling Burbank studio in the 1950's. Spanning the course of a century, this book tells the captivating story of secrets and love that embrace the importance of illuminating overlooked women."

Author Elise Hooper explained, "As I delved deeper and deeper into the history of dollhouses, I noticed that miniatures tend to grow in popularity during difficult times. For example, at the end of World War I, Queen Mary commissioned a grand dollhouse from England's leading artisans as a way of lifting the nation's spirits. After the dollhouse was finished, over a million and half people showed up to see it exhibited. In the United States, the Art Institute of Chicago's well-known Thorne Rooms and Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle were created and exhibited during the Great Depression to raise money for charitable causes. And then in 2020, while people were stuck in their homes during the pandemic, another flourishing of modern miniatures took hold once again and captured people's imaginations on social media. I love this proof of how art plays an important and positive role in our lives."

My favorite quote from this book was: "Reading is magic. Think of the imagination and sense of adventure that readers employ every time they crack open a book."

THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah. Published in February 2024 (but I read it in 2025), this historical work of fiction tells the story of a young woman from San Diego who served as a nurse in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Her brother did not survive the war, but she did. Her father had been so embarrassed about her going to war that he lied and told people she went to Italy instead. When she came home from the war, she suffered from PTSD, and no one at the Veterans Administration believed that she had suffered - and continued to suffer from her trauma - and yet she experienced as much trauma as the men who saw battle.

The book was incredibly well-written, the story was so well researched, and upon finishing it, the characters remained with me for a long time. And after finishing the book, I conducted my own research about the impact of American women who served in Vietnam and learned that there is a Vietnam Women's Memorial in Washington, D.C. Glenna Goodacre, the sculptor of the Vietnam Women's Memorial, explained, "My desire to create a lasting tribute to the American women serving in Vietnam is founded upon my deep respect for each of them, and my heartfelt prayer for their healing and hope. I have been humbled by the enormity of such a task yet incredibly honored by the overwhelming gratitude of the veterans. The emphasis of this tribute is centered on their emotions: their compassion, their anxiety, their fatigue, and above all, their dedication."

Author Kristin Hannah has said, "One of the things I love about historical fiction is its ability to illuminate the modern world. Now, more than ever, we need to find a way to come together and have civil, informed conversations."

My favorite quote from this book was: "Thank God for girlfriends. In this crazy, chaotic, divided world that was run by men, you could count on the women."

THE BORROWED LIFE OF FREDERICK FIFE by Anna Johnston. According to author Johnston, "I’ve always been fascinated by cases of mistaken identity and the phenomenon of doppelgangers. I began exploring the idea of one man being able to redeem another man’s life, even after death, and the plot grew quickly from there."

According to the book's description, "Frederick Fife was born with an extra helping of kindness in his heart. If he borrowed your car, he’d return it washed with a full tank of gas. The problem is, at age eighty-two, there’s nobody left in Fred’s life to borrow from, and he's broke and on the brink of eviction. But Fred’s luck changes when he's mistaken for Bernard Greer, a missing resident at the local nursing home, and takes his place. Now Fred has warm meals in his belly and a roof over his head — as long as his look-alike Bernard never turns up. Another character, Denise Simms is stuck breathing the same disappointing air again and again. A middle-aged mom and caregiver at Bernard's facility, her crumbling marriage and daughter's health concerns are suffocating her joy for life. Wounded by her two-faced husband, she vows never to let a man deceive her again. As Fred walks in Bernard’s shoes, he leaves a trail of kindness behind him, fueling Denise's suspicions about his true identity."

My favorite quote from this book was: "Love is about picking someone up and never, ever putting them down again, no matter how heavy things become."

THE SICILIAN INHERITANCE by Jo Piazza. As a fan of other books by Piazza, it's easy to see why I chose this book. In fact, in her book that I read in 2024, CHARLOTTE WALSH LIKES TO WIN, the protagonist, Charlotte Walsh, ran for Senate from the state of Pennsylvania, but the book ended with no clear ending. Instead, there was an author's note at the end, and that note made the book memorable:

"I bet you have a lot of questions after getting to the final page of this book. Namely, does Charlotte win? Does she lose? Does she stay with Max? Does she opt to do it all on her own? The truth is, I've written six different endings to this book...In these politically charged times, everything is taken as a statement. A definitive ending to this book would have been seen as one statement if she won and another if she lost...I wanted to talk about what it means to be an ambitious woman and what it costs us...I wanted to show how difficult it still is for a woman to run for office even though we all know we need more of us in government."

And now, back to THE SICILIAN INHERITANCE, a book about romance, a murder mystery, history, and Sicily...according to the book's description, "Sara Marsala barely knows who she is anymore after the failure of her business and marriage. On top of that, her beloved great-aunt Rosie passes away, leaving Sara bereft with grief. But Aunt Rosie’s death also opens an escape from her life and a window into the past by way of a plane ticket to Sicily, a deed to a possibly valuable plot of land, and a bombshell family secret. Rosie believes Sara’s great-grandmother Serafina, the family matriarch who was left behind while her husband worked in America, didn’t die of illness as family lore has it . . . she was murdered."

My favorite quote from this book centered around this theme: "The importance of women writing their own histories and legacies."

GROWING HOME by Beth Ferry with art by The Fan Brothers was recognized as Barnes & Noble's 2025 Children's Book of the Year. Reading children's books as an adult can be considered "brain candy" because it fosters imagination and provides joy and escapism with beautifully crafted stories and illustrations.

According to the book's description, "A motley crew of talkative plants, a curious spider, and a grumpy goldfish use their newfound magical abilities to defend their family from a greedy human. Ivy is the beloved houseplant of young Jillian Tupper of Number 3 Ramshorn Drive, much to the constant dismay of Toasty the goldfish, who is technically the family pet — swimming in his special place of honor, the antique octagonal fish tank — and should be the most loved. It seems that’s how the cookie crumbles in the curious Tupper household, but soon a sequence of thrilling and magical events challenges that way of life forever. First, there’s the arrival of Arthur, a knowledgeable spider with a broken leg and a curious mind, hidden in an old typewriter. Then Jillian throws everyone for a loop when she brings home dear, sweet Ollie, a school houseplant who just wants to be friends and sing. When Toasty splashes the plants with his tank water out of frustration, the friends learn that they can do magical things — like lift heavy objects and turn things invisible! It turns out Toasty’s fishtank isn’t just for fish; it was made by a curious inventor who gave it special powers that, in the wrong hands, could disrupt everything forever. And a curious man with purple shoes just so happens to want that tank at any cost. Can Ivy, Toasty, Arthur, and Ollie grow to be friends in time to work together to save their beloved Tupper family from utter ruin?"

My favorite quote from this book was: "Have you talked to any of your plants lately? Admired their green leaves or their pretty flowers? Told them they are beautiful? No? Get on that, reader! Then go pet your dog, cat, snake, or guinea pig. Talk to your goldfish! Sing to your parakeet. Animals are people too! Never forget that!"

Doesn't that story sound like fun? It certainly was!

What will YOU read to celebrate National Book Lovers Day? I hope this post gave you some ideas! Happy reading!

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Don't Forget that Timeless Marketing Mantra: Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover

If you're a bibliophile like me, do you wonder how publishers chose a book's cover design? Are there photographs or drawings on the cover? Are there bright colors on the cover? Is the cover clearly targeting a specific audience?

Book covers are important because they can influence reading choices; convey information such as a book's genre; generate interest and entice readers to learn more about a book; set the tone for the reading experience and create an emotional connection with a reader; stand out from the competition (other books); and be a marketing tool that helps sell a book.

According to Tim Kreider's article, "The Decline and Fall of the Book Cover" in The New York Times, "The main principles of design - in books, appliances, cars, clothing, everything - are: (1) Your product must be bold and eye-catching and conspicuously different from everyone else's, but (2) Not too much!"

According to Clare Thorp, "Covers can be a swift way to signal genre, but the good ones do more than that. They give face to a book's personality. They're what will make you pick it up in the first place, then keep it on your shelf to remind you what it meant to you."

According to Marielle Segarra in an article entitled, "Why It's OK to Judge a Book by Its Cover" from NPR, "I am the queen of judge a book by its cover. The reason you can [do that] is because there is a lot of effort and marketing that goes into making covers that tell you what's in the book, what kind of person it's for and what to expect. When you start to look at the books that you've loved in your life, you might notice some trends. When I look at my bookshelves, I have the most black books and the most red books, but I don't have a lot of green books. Whatever they're doing with the marketing for green books, not for me. I don't know if you should use a cover to pick a book 100 percent of the time. I have read books with gorgeous covers that I did not like. I have also read books that had embarrassing covers that I loved. But if you're at a bookstore trying to decide which of the three or four books to buy, pick what speaks to you and jumps out at you."

As I picked up a recent book to read, I wondered about this topic because there were many different covers based on the country where it was sold. The book is LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY by Bonnie Garmus. And if you've already read the book or watched the Apple+ television series, then you know what all the buzz is about. The simple plot line is this, "In the 1950's, Elizabeth Zott's dream of being a scientist is challenged by a society that says women belong in the domestic sphere; she accepts a job on a TV cooking show and sets out to teach a nation of housewives way more than recipes."

But back to this post's topic, the book's covers. According to The New York Times, "The United States edition, with its bubble gum pink cover bearing a stylized woman's face peering over a pair of cat-eye sunglasses, reads as overtly feminine, a light beach read for a day off. One can, of course, read any number of things at the beach. But some readers, at least, have been surprised to open it and find the story of Zott, a brilliant woman whose fetching chignon is secured by a No. 2 pencil also intended to ward off sexual assaults."

James Daunt, Barnes & Noble's Chief Executive Officer, explained, "Aiming the novel at a female readership is a bit pigeonholing, ultimately, the book has dominated the cover. And whether because of the cover or in spite of it, sales have been off the charts."

The covers in other countries paint a different picture: primary colors in Britain, sober in Germany, and surreal in Estonia.

Based on the letters the author received, LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY struck a chord with a wide range of readers, although the American cover might have scared off men. Garmus recalled talking to an all-male book club whose members were initially dissuaded by the cover's palette. According to Garmus, "The book is not anti-men, it's anti-sexism."

And according to Garmus when asked if she was furious about the pink chick-lit cover, "All I can say is, the publisher did let me have input, and I told them I thought it looked like chick-lit (nothing against chick-lit, but this book isn't that). Still, publishers have a lot of experience knowing what an audience will respond to, and they thought this was the best way. They've been great to work with; we just didn't see eye-to-eye on this. You can Google other covers from other nations and see if you think anyone else got a little closer. I think Germany and the UK both did a nice job."

According to The Publishing Post, "The US and UK cover designs, whilst both striking, are also quite different. The UK Cover is separated into four bright block squares, reminiscent of the periodic table, and can also be found under the hardcover jacket. The word "In" is stylized to look like the element Indium on the periodic table, providing another clear nod to chemistry, while a woman wearing a dress and heels is holding a television set. The screen shows a woman wearing a lab coat using a chemistry set, depicting Elizabeth’s job as a television cooking host during which she incorporates chemistry, her true love. By contrast, the US edition is pink with a woman's face peering over cat-eye sunglasses. This cartoon style design is especially popular for the romance genre. Whilst there is a love interest, this book is not a romance. In the US cover, the more light-hearted design contrasts with the contents as the book incorporates very serious themes such as sexual assault. However, there is still a nod to chemistry: a chemistry set is reflected in Elizabeth's glasses indicating that chemistry is constantly on her mind. The number two pencil which secures her hair references a pivotal scene and makes the character appear studious. Overall, the UK cover more accurately matches the book's tone but both are eye-catching."

In addition, here are two other books whose covers presented questions about content and target audiences:

AMERICAN DIRT by Jeanine Cummins featured blue birds, similar to traditional Mexican Talavera tiles, that were surrounded by barbed wire. Birds are symbols of peace, freedom, and hope - while the barbed wire kept people away from those things. The protagonist was on a journey to be free, like the birds, as she tried to escape her version of barbed wire.

THE LONELY HEARTS BOOK CLUB by Lucy Gilmore featured the illustration of a woman with bold colorful lines intended to be books. At its core, the book celebrated the power of friendship, the magic of books, and the unexpected joy found in unlikely connections, and while some men may think that the cover only appealed to women, there is no doubt that the cover's colors conveyed joy.

Have you read LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY? Did the cover entice you to read the book?

Since marketing is such an integral part of book publishing, what can your brand learn from this analysis to improve your brand storytelling?

Monday, July 22, 2024

Review of JUMPSTART YOUR WORKPLACE CULTURE

How would you describe your workplace culture? Do all the employees get together after work and talk shop at a local bar or restaurant? Or is it stifling, hard to breathe - and you can only breathe at 5pm when you leave the office? Do all the employees know the brand promise - and is everyone a happy brand ambassador?

These are all important questions to ask when creating and maintaining a positive corporate culture and why so many employers have high turnover and lose talented employees. Here's an easy solution for all leaders: Add an important book to your must-read list: Jumpstart Your Workplace Culture by Eric D. Stone.

Eric explains, "Every company should be built around founding values, and those values must be the heart and soul of your culture." And, "If your brand is what people say about you when you're not in the room, culture equals the behaviors that happen when leaders aren't around to enforce the organization's behavioral code."

How often do you check in with your employees? Do you have one-on-one meetings with all employees? Eric proposes that you regularly meet with employees and ask a myriad of questions. These were my favorites from Eric's book:

(1) What's your employee experience been like so far?

(2) Do you know and understand the company values?

(3) What management style do you find most motivating?

(4) What's an opportunity the team might be overlooking right now?

(5) Do you feel challenged and encouraged to grow?

(6) Where could you use more coaching and training?

(7) Who's been your biggest influence here?

(8) Is there anything you think the senior leaders don't understand?

According to Eric, a strong culture "keeps your people engaged and wanting to stay with your company, focused on doing great work and meeting higher and higher expectations, all while staying in alignment with the company values and mission. A positive culture keeps revenues, profits, and market share growing. It's an energy source, and it's contagious...It feels great to come to work, and you and your team feel like a finely-tuned machine."

But a weak culture "is just as obvious, and the symptoms are everywhere. Employees are confused, angry, or apathetic. Expectations are unclear, training and development are lacking, follow-through and accountability are nonexistent...Instead of being united by a single clear 'this is who we are and what we stand for' idea, they're fragmented. It's every employee for themself."

Perhaps, it's time for your organization to re-think your culture. As Eric writes at the end, "Yes, you can check under the hood and quantitatively measure the health of your culture...You can repair your culture with some surprisingly simple initiatives." Remember, "a strong culture is obvious to onlookers," and will attract awesome employees and repeat customers!

Debbie Laskey's Blog

Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Competition versus Collaboration

Here were some stand-out concepts from the book:

SHARE THIS: When we uncompete, we thrive. Each and every one of us. ~Ruchika T. Malhotra in UNCOMPETE #bookreview #DebbieLaskeysBlog

SHARE THIS: If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else. ~Toni Morrison shared by Ruchika T. Malhotra in UNCOMPETE #bookreview #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Sunday, September 6, 2026

Let's Celebrate National Read a Book Day!

SHARE THIS: That's the thing about chapters...they're only a part of your story. ~Kristin Harmel #MeetMeInParis #NationalReadABookDay #DebbieLaskeysBlog

SHARE THIS: If you give a person a book, you give him the world. ~Kristin Harmel #TheParisDaughter #NationalReadABookDay #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Sunday, August 9, 2026

Five Books to Celebrate National Book Lovers Day!

SHARE THIS: If you give a person a book, you give him the world. ~Kristin Harmel #TheParisDaughter #NationalBookLoversDay #reading #DebbieLaskeysBlog

SHARE THIS: I cannot remember the books I have read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson #DebbieLaskeysBlog #reading #NationalBookLoversDay

Share this: What's your fave book of all time? Mine is The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. #DebbieLaskeysBlog #reading #NationalBookLoversDay

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Don't Forget that Timeless Marketing Mantra: Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover

SHARE THIS: Books are amazing - but do you choose them because of their cover design? ~@DebbieLaskeyMBA #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Monday, July 22, 2024

Review of JUMPSTART YOUR WORKPLACE CULTURE

SHARE THIS: Every company should be built around founding values, and those values must be the heart and soul of your culture. ~Eric D. Stone #CorporateCulture #DebbieLaskeysBlog

SHARE THIS: Leadership, at its core, is about making other people better as a result of your presence - and making sure the impact lasts in your absence. ~@FrancesFrei #CorporateCulture #DebbieLaskeysBlog